All Aboard! Exploring the Newfoundland Railway

The Museum

Museum Treasures

Artefact Gallery

Hard Hat Diving Suit

From the 1940s to the 1970s, the Dockyard diving crew was made up of six men - a hard hat diver and his tender, two men to work the pump, and two men to move the steel ladder. The ladder was used for the diver to stand on while working on or inspecting a vessel or dock. When the ship was damaged or went ashore, this diving crew was called out to do a survey to assess the damage and determine the extent of repair work needed.

In preparation for a dive, the diver would put on his suit, plus a belt weighing 85 pounds, a pair of boots weighing 32 pounds and a helmet (hard hat) and a hose weighing approximately 70 pounds. Before entering the water, the diver was a very heavy and very awkward man. Railway Coastal Museum. 2004.0206.